Device for holding golf bags



July 3, 1962 F. J. LAHER DEVICE FOR HOLDING GOLF BAGS Filed April 28. 1960 FIGZ IN VEN TOR. V F. J. LAHER ATTORNEYS Patented July 3, T962 3,42,4-43 DEVTQE FGR HULBTNG GOLF BAGS Frank J. Laher, 12f Qamino Sobrante, Urinda, Calif. Filed Apr. 28, 196i Ser. No. 25,339 @laims. l-Cl. 296*3) This invention relates to golf carts and particularly to golf carts which are equipped with suitable racks or sup porting devices for golf bags.

Golf carts are of many types and may be driven by electric power or by small internal combustion engines. They customarily support one or two golfers and the golfing equipment and accouterments which golfers find necessary.

The use of such golf carts is well known and need not be described in detail.

customarily such golf carts are provided with racks or stands which support the golf bags. However the utilization of these racks or stands sometimes is inconvenient in that their use requires that the bag be positioned in the rack in a particular manner or that it be secured therein by means of straps, clamps, etc.

It is an object of this invention to provide a golf bag supporting rack which firmly grips the golf bags without the utilization of straps or clamps.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a golf bag supporting rack or member which may be easily used and in which one or more bags may be placed so that they may be removed therefrom easilyand quickly.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device of this kind in which there are very few parts and no parts requiring adjustment.

More particularly it is an object of this invention to provide a golf bag supporting rack in which a plurality of bags may be supported by a simple resilient member which may readily be deformed to accommodate itself to the contours of the bag and which will tend to support the bags by exerting gentle releasable pressure thereon.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a conventional golf cart showing a rack adapted to support two golf bags,

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the device illustrated in FIGURE 1 showing the golf bags supported in the rack by a coil spring device,

FIGURE 3 is a rear view of the device illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 showing the golf bags supported in the rack, and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentmy isometric View of the golf bag rack illustrating the same in reposed condition when the bags have been removed therefrom.

Generally speaking golf carts consist of a body assembly 19 supported by a plurality of Wheels 11. A seat assembly 12 is adapted to accommodate the golfers and their bags of clubs 13 are adapted to be supported in the rack assembly 14- which, as illustrated in the drawings, is made of tubular members suitably connected to form a rack substantially as shown. It is to be understood, of course, that the pipclike assembly may be varied in detail to accommodate more or fewer golf bags or to be utilized on golf carts of various kinds, sizes and shapes.

However, the rack 14 consists generally of a pair of parallel members 16 and parallel members 17 which provide an open golf bag receiving and supporting frame. The golf bag receiving and supporting frame formed by the members 16 and 17 is adapted to be supported by suitable supports 18.

Parallel to the members 16 and secured to the members 17 at about their median points, I have placed a deformable resilient member 19 which, as illustrated, is in the form of a coil spring. The coil spring 19 divides the golf bag receiving and supporting frame into two parts. When golf bags 13 are positioned therein as illustrated in FIG- URES 1, 2 and 3 they engage the members 16 and 1? generally as illustrated. The resilient deformable member 19 may be deformed to engage the bags and to retain the same in the position in which they are disposed by the players.

It is apparent that the resilient member 19 will retain the bags in the bag receiving and supporting frame and prevent their being accidentally thrown or discharged therefrom. However the restraining effect of the member 19 will not be sufficiently great to prevent the bag being removed therefrom by the golfer.

The spring member 19 will serve to prevent the bags 2 from becoming displaced laterally or side ways and will prevent them from chafing upon each other or becoming tangled, for example.

While I have illustrated the member 19 as consisting of a single large coil spring, I also intend that it may consist of a number of paraliel smaller coil springs or of a suitable resilient deformable member formed of natural or synthetic rubber. In either case the function and mode of operation of the member 19 will be the same; i.e. to support the golf bags generally as shown and described.

I claim:

1. In combination with a golf cart, apparatus for holding a plurality of golf bags comprising an upper surface of said cart disposed to directly support said bags from beneath, a rack secured to said golf cart in the region of said surface and constructed to define a supporting frame at a predetermined height above said surface, said frame defining a golf bag receiving opening, the extent of said predetermined height being sufficiently limited to cause golf bags disposed within said frame to lie across said cart, and means disposed across said opening to releasably engage golf bags positioned therein, said means comprising a resilient deformable member extending transversely of said cart to generally divide said opening into a forward and a rear portion.

2. Apparatus for holding a plurality of golf bags as defined in claim 1 wherein the last said means. comprises a resilient deformable rubber member disposed to generall bisect said opening.

3. Apparatus for holding a plurality of. golf bags as defined in claim 1 in which the last said means comprises a resilient deformable coil spring.

4. In combination with a golf cart, apparatus for holding a plurality of golf bags comprising an upper surface of said cart disposed to directly support said bags from beneath, a rack secured to said golf cart in the region of said surface and constructed to define a supporting frame above said surface, said frame including a plurality of at least three substantially parallel members disposed transversely of the cart to define a golf bag receiving opening between adjacent members, said members being structurally alternately resilient and rigid to releasably engage golf bags positioned in said openings.

References Cited the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

